Archived object 12: Council tax bill

50 for the future takes a different local object or theme to explore our work as your local council. Join us week by week as we explore how Wycombe district deserves to be proud of our past and fit for the future.

We will be publishing a new object on Facebook and on this website every week.

Each object fits within one or more of our three priorities: people, place or pounds. Read the corporate plan.

Week 12: Council tax bill

Proud of our past

This week marks 19 years since the start of council tax - a tax on property - replaced poll tax, a tax that was paid by every person over 18.

Fit for the future

We collect council tax in the Wycombe district. The money we collect pays for a whole range of local services run by us, Bucks County Council, Bucks Fire and Rescue, Thames Valley Police and parish councils.

Our share of your council tax costs £2.44 of the £27.28/week paid by a band D property.

Council tax accounts for approximately a quarter of council funding. The remainder comes from business rates, grants from central Government and direct charges for services.

The amount of council tax set each year depends on how much these organisations spend and how much they receive from elsewhere.

Council tax is based on the value of your property and is classed in "bands" - band A is the lowest, band H is the highest.

People on low income or living on their own can qualify for benefits to help them with their council tax.

A guide to council tax, including details of how money is spent is available on our council tax page.

We are committed to freezing the amount of council tax we ask local people to pay for our services. This is one of our 3Ps priorities - pounds - which aims to: